Cooking retort



F. B. DONNELLAN.

COOKING RETORT. APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 3., 1921.

1,426,050. Patented Aug. 15,1922.

2 SHEETS-Smink.

F. B. DONNELLAN.

COOKING RETORT. APPLICATION FlLED sEPLa, 1921.

Patented Aug. 15, 1922.

2 .W Il

w. W 6, fwn@ E., www W Mw ...l ..1 G l I' 'ffl JJJJJJJJJJJ FRANK B. DONNELLAN, or SAN. FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA COOKING RETORT.

" Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 15,1922.

.Application mea septemb'erfs, 1921. fseria1'1v0f49a244.

To all autom t may concern.' y

Be it known that I, FRANK B. DoNNEr.- LAN, a citizen of the UnitedStates, and resident of San Francisco, county of San Francisco, and State of California, have invented a new and useful Cooking Retort, of which the following is a specification.

`The present invention relates to cooking retorts for cans generally and more specifically to those retortsjin whichthe cans are heated by steam under compression, and the particular object of my invention'is to insert the cans into the retort in such a manner that veryglittle steam is lostduring the operation, and to in a similar manner cause the cans to leave the retortwithout any appreciable loss of steam. v i

The preferred form of my invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing, but it is understood that this form canv be modified in different ways without involving a departure from the spirit of the invention.

In the drawing, Figure l is a side view of my cooking retort, portions of the same being shown broken away; Figure 2 is a top plan view of the same; Figure 3 is a horizontal cross-section along the line 3-3 of Figure l, and Figure 4 is an assembly View showing the means for driving the can actuating means within the retort.

Referring to the drawing in detail, it will be seen that my retort (l) rests on the horizontal plates (2) supported on'thelegs (3), the latter b'eingbraced by horizontal members (L1). The retort consists of themiddle or main section (6.),'a top section (7) lhereinafter referred to as the inlet valve7 and a bottom section (8), hereinafter'referredto as the outlet valve. The main portion comprises a casing (9) of cylindrical form closed on topand at the bottom by the two plates (1l) and (12) by means ofbolts (14:) connecting the edges of the plates' with flanges (16) emanating from the top and the bottom of the casing. In the form Shown in Figure 1, I'divide the space enclosed in the casing into-three parts by means of two plates (17 and (18) secured in spaced relation to the cylindrical wall of the casing parallel to the bottom and top plates. These plates are secured against rotary motion as shown in Figure 3 by means of a plurality of lugs (19) extending from their outer circumference and engaging vertical channels (21) secured with their backs to the inside of the casing and toeing toward 4to each other by ,plate (18) cylinder (24.) and secured to thel mea-ns of. a plate (29), placed on topof theV the plates (17)` and(18). These channels may be placed vertically above each other or in staggered relation so that the upper channels will not interfere with anf upward-motion of the lower plate.

The plates are held in spaced relation i meansv` of cylinders (22), (23) and (24), cylinder (24) being disposed between the bottom plate of the casing and (23) being disposed lbetween the two plates (17) and (18) andcylinand the'top plate of the casing. The" cylinders are concentric with the casing and are perforated so as'to allow of the-entrance of steamA from the casing into the cylinders.y

The latter are also divided into preferably four compartments by means of two diametricalwalls crossing each other at right an-y gles at the center of the cylinders. I wish to point out that the particular number of compartments for each cylinder is of no two lor even with asmany as five or six or der (24)'` beingfplaced between the plate (17) i `importance sinceit might be worked `with ferentplates disposed in vertical relation, s

but-is rigidly secured to the central portion of thev diametrical walls withinthe cylindersso that a revolving motion' of the shaft will not effect the' different plates but will causethe cylinders (22), (23) kand (24) to vrotate with thev shaft.

Theinlet valve (7 above referred to, is placedon top of the main casing and `comprises a cylindrical portion (28) placed in alinement with the cylinders (22)', (23) and same and ysecuredto the main body by means of bolts (31). 'In a similar manner is the outlet `valve (8) fastened to the bottom of the-main body. The intake and outletv valve cylinders are constructedfin the same manner as the mai-n bodycylinders and v4rotated with thesame. 1 i

The mainl principle involved in my4 invention is the providing of openings in each plate occupying a sector of the said plate and arranged in such a manner that no two succeeding sector openings are alined with each other and the introduction of the cans through one opening from where they are main body by slowly transported to the opening in the next plate in order to drop through the lat ter opening into the next cylinder. For this purpose the top plate (29) is constructed as shown in the plan view olf ldigure 9', that is, an opening is provided in the plate occupying about one-'lourth of the area oit the top late, and means are provided in the chute (33) for admitting cans into the valve cylinder through this opening. New this valve cylinder is divided into tour comp-ar niente and is rotated steprvise by means described hereinafter so as to advance a quarter of a turn .vith each step. The opening provided in the plate (ll.) is not alined with the opening inthe plate (29), hut is preferably `so arranged with reference to the latter opening that the particular compartment reeeiving cans through the latter opening does not reach the opening in the plate (ll) until the valve cylinderis rotated through threefourths of a turn. ln this manner one com pertinent of the valve cylinder is filled on each quarter turn and another compartment .is simultaneously emptied into the valve cylinder (24). ln this cylinder the same process is repeated and in the same manner through the cylinders (23) and (22) so that each can admitted into the inlet valve travels in each compartment through a certain distance and is then dropped into the cylinder nent helow to again partake of the revolving motion el this comp artrnent until dropped into the next one. During all this time steam isy admitted into the casing through the pipe (36) and reely passes into the different cylinders and around the cans so as to heat and cook the same thoroughly.

For the removal of the cans l provide means similar to the inlet valve in the outlet valve (8), which latter is provided with an openingF at its bottoni in the proper place to allow tlie cans dropping into the outlet valve cylinder to travel Within the same through a certain distance before approaching the opening. After reaching the opening the cans tall into any suitable hopper (37) and are led through the pipe to the point ol their destination.

The shaft (26) which extends vertically through the whole apparatus is driven by means or the horizontal shait (39) engaging the saine through the bevel gears (41) and (e2), and the latter shalt (39) receives intermittent rotary motion lrein the shaft (43) by means ot the Wheel (all) secured on the shaft having a stud (a5) extending sideways from its rim and engaging successively one of a plurality of structures (lo) extending insonne from the circumferential surface of the Wheel (all) lreyed to the shalt (39). ylhe 4Werl/ring oit these shafts is se arranged that on each turn ot the shaft (4&3) the shaft is rotated through a quarter of a turn so that each compartment pauses under and above each opening suillcient length of time to either receive the cans or to drop the-in into the nent compartment.

lt will he seen 'that the apparatus as constructed can he easily talren apart since the top valve can he taken out hy removing the nuts from the holts (3l), the plate (11) can Y he removed loy unscrenung the nuts (la) and i the cylinders and plates can he successively pulled upwardly. l Wish to call. particular attention to tl e Ytact that l do not confine myself in Way te any nuinher of com pertinents in th various cylinders nor to the particular arrangement of the openings in the plates the only point insisted on being that the openings he arranged in staggered relation as aforesaid.

l claim: y l. ln coolring retort, a vertically disposed cylindrifal ig having end 1nemhers rigidly secured thereto, a vertical shaft centrally mounted therein7 moans for revolving the shaft, a plurality of cylinders having radial wehe ther in :lor dividing the cylinders into sectors7 compartments slidahly engaging the shalt ain'l rotary therewith, a plate having a sectorialu opening therein interposed between each tivo cylinders so that no tivo succeeding s ctorial openings regis ter, and nieans for preventing the plates from rotating comprising radial projections extending troni the plates and vertical guide nieinhers engaging the projections. i

2. ln a .cool-ring retort, a vertically dis posed cylindrical casing having end menihers rigidly secured thereto, a vertical shaft centrally mounted therein, means for revolv ing the shaft, a plurality ot cylinders having radial Webs therein for dividing the cylinders into sect rial compartments s-lidahlv vengaging the shaft and rotary therewith, a 

